Board of Directors – Hand in Hand Parenting

Click to learn more about Hand in Hand’s staff members.

Maya Coleman

Executive Director

Maya Coleman, Executive Director

Maya Coleman
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Kathy Kristjanson-Gural, Director of Operations

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Ahava Vogelstein, Director of Strategic Initiatives

Ahava Vogelstein
Ahava first connected with Hand in Hand in 2015 as a school counselor looking for additional support for the families and educators in her school community. She uses the listening tools with her family and in her work as a preschool consultant, adjunct faculty member, and nanny educator. Ahava is passionate about supporting the body, heart, mind, and spirit of young children and their grownups and loves being on the Hand in Hand team. Ahava is a certified instructor, research team member, and research committee member.

Emily Murray, Program Director

Emily Murray

Alison Tepper, Director of Strategic Initiatives

Michelle Kokel, Instructor Certification Program Lead

Michelle Kokel

After earning a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and completing a postdoctoral fellowship in developmental neuroscience, Michelle’s career in academic research took an unexpected turn after she became a parent.

Michelle has been involved with Hand in Hand since 2008 when she first experienced the transformative power of the listening tools. She feels privileged to support parents as they take on the emotional work necessary to untangle early hurts and build warm, connected relationships and strong support systems.

Michelle’s areas of interest include helping children heal from developmental trauma, supporting parents through emotional projects, sibling relationships, anger/aggression, and supporting children with learning differences. In addition, she often works with adoptive families, helping parents connect with children who have experienced disruptions in early attachment relationships.

Michelle lives in California with her husband, two wonderful teenagers, and a sweet dog.

Kathy Gordon, Parent Club Manager

Kathy Gordon
Kathy is particularly interested in working with foster and adoptive parents, and parents of children with any type of special need, learning or behavior challenge. She offers the Parenting by Connection Starter Class in person in Los Angeles and on the phone. She works with parents individually and does trainings for educators and professionals who work with children. She is a gifted speaker and offers and introductory talks on Parenting by Connection, as well as specific topics such as Tantrum Training, Setting Limits, Listening Partnerships and Connecting with Your Teens. Her passion is practicing and teaching conscious child-raising by connection, in order that we may foster cooperation and peace in our families and the world.

Sareli Beltrán, Office Manager

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